The Changing Dynamics and New Developments of China–Pakistan Relations
From India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs
Pakistan’s relationship with China is usually described in the prism of national interests instigated largely by regional security architecture and economic imperatives. Arguably this narrative is justifiable in the backdrop of the emergence of Pakistan as a nascent state in search of security in a hostile neighbourhood. A good relationship with China in the given scenario soon became a rational choice for Pakistan’s political and security elite.
Although maintaining a perpetually friendly relationship with China has been a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy yet strengthening this relationship into a structured partnership has indeed been a gradual process.
In the international relations discourse, the relationship between countries is a complex interaction of pragmatic national interests. These national interests are multifaceted and could take an alternate course according to changing regional and international scenarios.
In Pakistan’s foreign policy architecture, a friendly relationship with China has seen an upward trajectory that has been endorsed and carried along by the successive governments in Pakistan Statesmen from both the countries had been well cognizant of this crucial relationship and have been adaptive in their perspectives for each other.
This paper digs deep into the historical background of the relationship between Pakistan and China to understand the dynamics of this friendship. Moreover, it tries to understand the current warmth in the friendship of the two countries in the light of their relations during the history.
Pakistan and China mostly share common strategic and economic interests and hold similar viewpoints on the regional geostrategic environment. In the Chinese perspective, Pakistan is a significant regional ally which serves:
A link to the strategic maritime outlet to Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf support 20 percent of the Global Oil trade.
A bulwark against the Indian regional hegemonic ambitions.
Achieving peace and stability in Afghanistan which is imperative for greater regional connectivity and also to impede its slipover effects towards fuelling militancy and extremism in Chinese Xinjiang province.
Also, China favours a peaceful South Asian region aimed at Pakistan–India's economic partnership that would serve as more substantial economic connectivity.
Article details
The Changing Dynamics and New Developments of China–Pakistan Relations Allauddin, Hongsong Liu, Raja Qaiser Ahmed
First Published February 25, 2020 Research Article
DOI: 10.1177/0974928419901195
India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs